july 9th, 2018
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(xxx) xxx-xxxx (3:03pm)
I know I deleted your number, and I blocked you, but I'm really sorry for what I did. You don't know what it's like Jenna, it's hell. It didn't help that you went behind my back either
me (3:05pm)
who is this
also i'm not jenna my name is josh
xxx (3:06pm)
You're telling me you're not Jenna Black. Nice fucking try but I know I got your number right. Stop trying to play stupid.
me (3:06pm)
hey dude i'm sorry for whatever happened between you and jenna but i literally just got my number changed yesterday so i might have gotten hers
xxx (3:07pm)
Sure, sure. You're typing just like Jenna. I know you didn't get a number change, I talked to your brother and Tatum.
xxx (3:09pm)
You know what? I shouldn't even be apologizing for something that you did. I don't know why I even tried. You're one fucked up person.
me (3:10pm)
if you don't believe me you can facetime me or something lmao
i mean we do both have imessage 🤷🏼♂️
Incoming FaceTime from (xxx) xxx-xxxx
Josh presses accept as soon as it appears on his screen. The man on the screen is kind of blurry, but he already looks cute. When Josh shows his face, the man is shocked, confused, everything.
"You aren't Jenna." he simply says. His voice is a little croaky, not deep, but not shrill.
"I told you I wasn't, man. Why didn't you believe me?" Josh laughs.
"She does shit like that sometimes." the man dejectedly sighs, averts his eyes for a moment. "I guess I owe you an apology. Can we start over?"
"Yeah, 'course." Josh smiles, and takes a deep breath, eyes closed for a second. "Hey, my name is Joshua. My friends call me Josh. It's nice to meet you, stranger."
"Hi there, Josh. I'm Tyler and my friends call me Tyler. Pretend we're shaking hands." Tyler shakes his phone, and Josh does too.
"I hate to ask, really I do, and I know we just put that behind us, but like... what happened between you and Jenna?"
"Maybe I'll tell the full story to you someday, but the shortest way to put it is that she fucked me over. We were dating and shit, and I told her about my shit and she told that shit to my ex, who she is friends with. And mind you, she told me that she wouldn't ever tell my shit to my ex. So yeah. Fucking sucks, man."
"Wow. If that's the short version, I totally can't wait to hear the whole thing." Josh chuckled, "No but that sucks a lot. I'm sorry to hear it."
"Thanks I guess. I just can't believe she really changed her number, like I didn't get it wrong or anything at all. I've had it memorized for years now." Tyler sighed. "Hey, I know this is weird, but where do you live? Columbus right? We should hang out. You're the only one willing to listen to me talk about stupid shit."
"Yeah, I live downtown. Smack in the middle of downtown. By the way, you say shit a lot and your friends seem shitty."
"I know, both of 'em. Anyway, I live on campus of the college I go to. I need an apartment so fucking bad."
"You go to college?" Josh raises an eyebrow. He was a sophomore in high school.
"Uh, yeah. Don't you?"
"No. I'm still in high school."
Tyler sat up and stayed quiet for a second. It looked like he was thinking. And then, "Holy shit. How old are you, Josh? I'm fucking twenty one."
"Wow. I'm sixteen. Almost seventeen though."
"Okay, uh, that's kind of weird. I'm sorry, but like, you look my age. You don't look sixteen."
"Dude, I'm a bunch of pixels. You haven't seen me in real life. And I haven't seen you either, so I feel like we both have unfair judgements." Josh shrugged.
"The way you talk is crazy. You're mature as hell. Even most of my friends here aren't like you."
"Yeah, guess I grew up quick. This is only weird if you make it weird. It's not like we're uh- like, y'know, having sex. Or something." Josh's face is red, he thanks the shitty FaceTime camera for not making it visible.
"We aren't gonna talk about that, Josh. Especially not over the phone like this. Plus I'm five years older than you."
"I guess um- l-like The 1975 say, she can't be what you need if she's seventeen. Haha. You listen to them? Yeah?" Oh God, why is he so awkward? Why is he so weird? Will Tyler even get that reference?
"Of course you listen to them, you nerd. Also, you seem super nervous about talking about this shit. You good, man?" that tone in Tyler's voice is caring, kind.
"They're one of my favorites. I'm a big nerd. But yeah, I'm good. Don't worry 'bout me, I just have anxiety." Josh nodded.
"Really? That sucks. I had anxiety when I was your age. It went away after junior year though. I'm sorry, J."
"J, huh? I like that, no one else has called me that. Thanks. For the nickname too."
"Yeah. So like, I have to go. My friend just texted me he's here. We should definitely do this all the time from now on, even when we meet up. Because you bet your ass I'm either coming to your house or you're coming here no matter what, you got my word." Tyler shows his teeth in his smile, and you can tell how genuine it is.
"Sure, text me whenever you want to. See ya, Ty." Josh waves, Tyler waves back, and it's not weird. It's comfortable.
